Brussels, 02/05/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 29 April, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini stated that the cessation of hostilities in Syria was “indispensable” for creating “an enabling environment for negotiations” and for full, unimpeded humanitarian access throughout Syria.
“Pressure should be brought on all parties to respect the cessation of hostilities, resume talks in good faith and make the work of the UN Special Envoy in facilitating agreement between the Syrian parties possible”, Mogherini stated in a press release. “We have a unique opportunity that must not be missed”, she added.
Mogherini said the parties' commitment to the cessation of hostilities was “crucial” to deliver on the confidence building measures by the UN Security Council, “notably the release of all arbitrarily detained persons, starting with women and children”.
Stating that the new spike of violence and actions undermining the cessation of hostilities, notably the Syrian regime's most recent offensives near Aleppo and east of Damascus, put the peace talks in danger, Mogherini warned that “returning to the fighting will achieve nothing but greater cost in human lives, and is only delaying the negotiations that are the only way to bring peace to the people of Syria”. Over 250 civilians have died in Aleppo since the resumption of violence on 22 April.
On Monday 2 May, US Secretary of State John Kerry said in Geneva that the situation in Syria was “in many ways out of control”, while stating that the cessation of hostilities still held “except in Aleppo”. Kerry announced that the mechanism for monitoring this cessation would be strengthened and that he would discuss further measures with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to boost this cessation of hostilities. UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura will visit Moscow on Tuesday 3 May. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)